The Garage Tune '72 510

[totoro001]

Hey guys!  I've been lurking here for a while now and I've had my 510 just sitting in my shop for about a year waiting to finish another project.  Well that project has been completed and sold and now it's time to start working on my dime.

 

Here's what I know about it.  

 

It's a 72 510 that started out it's life as that lovely 70's mustard yellow color.  The person who owned it before me purchased it from a repo auction in cali ~6 years ago and brought it with him when he moved to NV where it sat along side his house all that time covered in green primer.  

 

At some point someone had tried to break into it and steal it and broke the drivers side lock and door handle, and ripped out the trunk lock.  It had also been in a front end accident at some point on the drivers side, but I don't think it was anything too awful.  The engine bay sheet metal on the drivers side is beat up a bit but I think with a little bit of chassis straightening and some love I can get it back to pretty close to factory.  The body has some dents and dings, but I believe it to be fairly clean overall (though won't know until I get the 2+ layers of paint off).

 

The interior is also pretty decent.  It has no carpet and it'll need a new dash, but the gauges exist and function as I believe do the switches.  The door cards are pretty decent, and the upholstery is amazing for it's age.  It has the original wood shift knob which is beautiful, and with some love I think I can bring the steering wheel back to it's original luster.  It's got an aftermarket center console that looks like it's been in the car since the late 70's but is a bit cracked.  I haven't decided if I'd like to create a mold of it and make myself a new one, or go back to factory original (which is what I'll probably do).  The stereo was torn out who knows how long ago, and the rear deck needs to be replaced.  Overall though for it's age and general lack of care I think it's in great condition.

 

The engine and tranny.. well.. that's a bit of a different story.  It started and ran enough for me to drive it across town back to my shop (a story which I'll elaborate on momentarily), however the clutch slips, the engine is gutless, it leaks gas from both the engine bay and the trunk (both in and out of the car), and after about 5 minutes of driving the temp gauge went all the way to the "hot" side and stayed pegged there for the entire 30 minute trip to the shop.

 

The story.

 

I saw this car on CL (I often watch for somewhat rare 70s Japanese cars) and contacted the seller a day or two after it was listed.  He was asking 3800 for it which I thought was a little high, but I went to take a look at it none the less.  I liked the car but recognized that it had the potential to be a problematic and expensive project.  I offered him 1800 explaining that I would totally understand if he denied my offer, but I just couldn't bring myself to offer much more.  He politely declined and I let him know that if he changed his mind I'd always be willing to honor my offer.  A couple weeks later the car dropped off CL so I assumed it sold.  A bummer, but oh well.  It's all part of the game.

 

A month or two later, it appeared on CL again!  I checked the phone number and it matched the number of the original poster.  I shot him a text and let him know my offer still stood.  He replied and asked if I could go up to 2000.  DEAL!  I swung by the next evening and exchanged $ for the title and keys and strapped myself in for the drive to my shop about 8 miles across town.

 

Setting off across town via city streets, I started the car, let it warm up for a little bit, and backed out of his side yard onto the street while my wife (girlfriend at the time) followed me in my g37.  After about 100 yards I realized that the e-brake didn't disengage properly.  I fiddled with it a bit and got it to release.  At the end of his block attempted to come to a stop (which it didn't do well on it's 2 nearly flat tires), and when I did so, the passenger side door came flying open.

 

About 3/4 of a mile from his house was a gas station and I thought it would be a good idea to put some fuel in the tank since I'm sure it hadn't been fueled up in about 4-5 years.  I pumped it full of gas, checked the oil and the coolant levels, and set off down the street. 

 

After another 2 miles of city driving I noticed the temp gauge on the console moved all the way to the "hot" side and stayed there though I didn't smell the familiar smell of burning coolant, nor did I see any steam.  I pulled over after another 1/2 mile at the nearest gas station and attempted to pop the hood (which is an adventure in itself due to the 'mods' done to the hood).  I managed to get the hood open and checked the coolant and it looked fine.  It wasn't boiling, it wasn't steaming, it didn't even seem to be all that hot.  I called the previous owner to see if he had any input and he unfortunately did not.

 

"Oh well." I thought.  About all I could do was continue on and hope the car made it to the shop.

 

Once I got out of the residential areas I noticed that I only had about half of a headlight on.  I attempted to put the brights on in hopes of them working, but neither of the 'bright' lights powered on.  Awesome.  I'm driving a car that's not registered in my name, that I don't have a valid insurance card for, that is probably overheating, that has no license plates, and is nearly in stealth mode due to hot having more than 1 working headlight.  Oh well.  Continuing on!

 

A little further down the road now and I start to smell gas.  I pull over again to check and see gas dripping out from under the hood, gas running down the side of the car by the gas door, and gas falling out of the rubber boots in the trunk.  Sweet.  "Just keep swimming!"

 

I soldiered on, driving slowly down the lesser used city streets, attempting to avoid any unnecessary attention or authorities who may have far more questions than I felt like answering.  Even though I passed a number of police officers nobody really seemed to care.

 

Every bump I hit, the bumpers rattled and sounded like they were going to fall off.  Every inconsistency in the pavement I went over, the car would jerk violently to the right or the left.  Every time I hit the brakes I said a little prayer hoping that this wouldn't be the time that lead to my doom.

 

After about a half hour of chaos and doom, I made it to my shop, pulled the car in, and turned it off.  Success!

 

I understand ti may sound like I'm complaining, but I'm really not.  The car overall is going to be a great project, and the drive home after buying a new project car is all part of the adventure!  I'm sure you've all got equally exciting stories about your past projects.  I can't wait to get further into this build and make this car truly great!

 

A little bit about "Garage Tune".  GT is more of a club or state of mind than anything else.  It's just my buddies and I working on our projects and video taping them to share with anyone who cares to watch.  We don't take ourselves too seriously nor do we expect anyone else too.  And while we will sometimes embellish details to make them a little more exciting, it's just us having fun and being dorks.

 

Without further ado, here's the intro video I've made, as well as a quick little video I made the other day of the work we were doing.  We are working on pulling the motor out and stripping the car down so I can send it off to my buddy's shop and get it up on the chassis straightener.

 

 

 

Upon emptying the rad and pulling it out of the car, I think I figured out why it said it was overheating.  When I emptied the rad from the rad drain bolt, the coolant came out green, which was unexpected.  I pulled the upper rad hose off and the water intake into the engine was bone dry.. strange, but I hadn't driven it in quite a while so I suppose I can deal with that.  When I pulled off the lower hose however, all I saw was gloopy rust.  Ok.. this is starting to make sense.  I think that either the coolant wasn't flowing through the engine (thermostat or water pump issues perhaps) or the rad is jammed up with gunk and coolant wasn't flowing through it.  

 

Everything else came off pretty easy.  We also took this opportunity to mark any unused holes in the engine bay so I can go back later and weld them shut.  The only things we have left to do before the motor and trans come out are to take the exhaust off, remove the bolts that hold the motor and tranny mounts, remove the shift lever, remove the clutch actuator (haven't really looked into what's necessary, but we'll get it figured out), and remove the speed sender.  We hope it'll take another hour or two and the motor will be out of the car and on the engine stand.

 

Once that's been completed, we'll put up a proper video of this, the first step in our resto build!

 

Anyways, I really just wanted to say hi, introduce myself (my name's Phil btw), and start logging my project.  Let me know what you think!

[KlassicMotion]

Welcome!  I'm tuned in to see where you go with it.  Sadly, if you own a 510 with that brown-orange color long enough, it may actually grow on you!  It did for me.  The car looks good in what I assume is a primer green though.  I like the looks of the 521 grill.  I don't see that used too often.  It's one of those subtleties that makes it different. :thumbup:

[totoro001]

Allllright, got the motor and tranny out the other night and off to the body shop to have the frame pulled today.  On a related topic, anyone know where I can find a NOS or used core support?  Mine is suuuupper jacked up.

[KlassicMotion]

I have good luck putting a WTB ad in the classifieds.

[dime'n daily]

at least you get to start with a complete car. some of us aren't that fortunate hahaha. looks like a pretty decent start to me.

[totoro001]

I have good luck putting a WTB ad in the classifieds.

 

Thanks Klassic!  I actually got lucky and Rod of RodsDatsun had a full core support he was willing to part with in exchange for cash! haha so that should be here next week.

 

at least you get to start with a complete car. some of us aren't that fortunate hahaha. looks like a pretty decent start to me.

 

Absolutely, I actually think that overall this car is in fantastic condition, I elaborated slightly for the video ;)  I haven't found any rust yet (but I also haven't sand blasted it yet), and everything else on the body is pretty straight save for a couple little dents and dings here and there that I'm looking forward to learning to pull/hammer out.  I can't wait to get it back from the body shop so I can go to work on it!

[totoro001]

Alllllright guys, I finally got off my butt and finished the video.  Honestly it was done poorly and quickly (I redid it about 10 times) and I think I mis-spoke about 20 times during the video.  You never realize how awkward you are until you try to make a video.

 

Either way, here it is.  (if the quality is crap, it's still processing)

 

 

I hope to get it back this week to go back to work on it.

[totoro001]

I promise I haven't gone dark!  Car has just been in my buddy's body shop for a while getting the core support replaced.  I believe it should be done early this week and then I can start on the body work!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Josh K.]

Ouch! That's worse then mine was.... Looks nasty.

[totoro001]

Ouch! That's worse then mine was.... Looks nasty.

 

Yehhhh she's a little beat up, but I'm happy knowing that when I'm done I will have brought her back to life! :)

[totoro001]

Alright all, here are the latest updates.  

 

The core support has been swapped out and now it's ready for me to start on some of the other body work.  You can see from the pics that it needs it.  I NEED to send it off to be blasted so I can really start, however money is tight right now so I'll start on the major dents while I wait, then get it blasted and start on the rest in a month or so.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Draker]

Another one saved! 

 

Great work guys!

[totoro001]

Another one saved! 

 

Great work guys!

 

Thanks Draker!  While I think we'll see this through to completion, I hope we don't get burnt out anywhere along the way.  We're having a great time knowing that we're literally restoring a piece of history.  Something that has 40 years of memories and experiences.  Insuring that it can continue to live on :)

[KlassicMotion]

 We're having a great time knowing that we're literally restoring a piece of history.  Something that has 40 years of memories and experiences.  Ensuring that it can continue to live on :)

 

Keep that attitude.  You'll need it when you've spent double,over what the market value is, on it!! :D

[totoro001]

Keep that attitude.  You'll need it when you've spent double,over what the market value is, on it!! :D

 

Haha.. I'm afraid you're probably right.  Remind me I said that if I start to slow down!

[dime'n daily]

Probably? no hes 100% right haha

[bananahamuck]

Welcome from fellow mustard mobile owner.

:lol:
 
 
if you haven't checked out the "how to" section on here there is at least 3 really great write-ups on gas filler replacement for 510s using easier to find materials.. Actually i think there is one in project-teezy in the 510/1600 section also.

I see a 240 in the background,, so i have to ask are you keeping the L motor or switching out? If i have an opinion i would go with the L and have fun with the little car for awhile till you work bugs out,, if you really have to switch.  but i am lazy

[totoro001]

Welcome from fellow mustard mobile owner.

:lol:

 

 

if you haven't checked out the "how to" section on here there is at least 3 really great write-ups on gas filler replacement for 510s using easier to find materials.. Actually i think there is one in project-teezy in the 510/1600 section also.

 

I see a 240 in the background,, so i have to ask are you keeping the L motor or switching out? If i have an opinion i would go with the L and have fun with the little car for awhile till you work bugs out,, if you really have to switch.  but i am lazy

 

haha thanks man :)

 

I've read those actually and I was glad that they all seemed relatively straight forward (as I'll have to do that before too long).

 

As for the motor, I plan to stay with an L-series motor.  I've got my eyes open for an L20 right now and oddly enough my L16 has the A87 head that everyone talks about (I'm still researching all common motor mods for the L series).  I need to get into my L16 and see if it's been previously modified as depending on that I might just stick with my 16.  As you can tell, I'm still trying to figure out what I want to do with the motor, but I'm hard set on sticking with an L series. ;)

[Draker]

dude, even if you quit now.. that car has been saved. you did all the hard work already.

[totoro001]

dude, even if you quit now.. that car has been saved. you did all the hard work already.

 

Thanks Draker, that's inspires me a bit!